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I turn to Luminar when I need to add a little creative magic to my images. But there are a few older Macphun apps that I love as well, specifically Tonality and Noiseless. These can be tapped as plugins with Luminar 2018 to keep the workflow simple. Unfortunately, even though Luminar is cross platform, the older Macphun apps only work with mac OS. They are available on the Skylum site. Here's how it works.

Step 1 - With the image open in Luminar, go to the Plugins menu and choose the one you want. (You have to have these already purchased and loaded on your computer.) In this case, I'm going with the B&W editor, Tonality.

Step 2 - In Tonality, I make my edits. Once I'm finished, I click on Apply to return to Luminar.

Step 3 -Back in Luminar, all of my options are open. The Tonality-edited image appears on a separate layer. I can adjust its opacity or use a blending mode.

Step 4 - On the Tonality layer, I used the Luminosity blending mode to create the look I wanted.

Step 5 - Next, I tapped the Noiseless plugin to help me control the noise that was visible in the sky. Same process as before. It also returns on its own layer.

Step 6 - I save the the image as a Luminar file (.lmnr) by using the Save command. I can then export the image in any format or file size for sharing.

I published the finished image on Flickr for sharing and enjoyment. Compare it to the original shot illustrated in Step 1. There is a big difference in the rendering of the building.

I used plenty of native Luminar tools as well, such as Erase and the Accent-AI filter. But having access to some of my favorite Macphun apps, especially Tonality and Noiseless, makes for a powerful, creative work environment.

Rock Luminar with my new Essential Training

You learn all the ins and outs of Luminar 2018 via my Essential Training on lynda.com and on LinkedIn Learning. It's fun, and I promise, you will learn a lot.

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

We were up well before dawn to cover the annual Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic in Windsor, CA. This was the perfect assignment for my Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm f/1.2 PRO lens mounted on the OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Even in the dimmest of lighting conditions, I was able to keep my ISO low and the resolving power high.

For the entire shoot, starting at 5 AM and continuing to 7:30 AM, I locked the aperture at f/1.2 and used auto ISO. The camera keep my ISO very low, usually at 200, yet I still had plenty of shutter speed to freeze the action. The excellent sensor-based image stabilization in the E-M1 also helped my cause.

The RAW files from the shoot had excellent sharpness and tone. I was able to focus quickly on the main subjects and let everything else sort itself out. You would think that I would have many mis-focused shots at such a wide aperture, but those were rare.

On occasion, I would switch to the 45mm f/1.2 PRO, but it and the 17mm were the only two optics that I used for the shoot. Never before has challenging lighting been such a joy.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #639, June 12, 2018. Today's theme is "The Art of Festival Photography." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Whether you're covering a music festival or a dazzling display of hot air balloons, it's hard not to be mesmerized by the main attraction. But if you really want to tell the story of the event, you have to get past that as quickly as possible. That process - of going from being in awe to taking awesome photos - is the topic of today's TDS photography podcast.

"The Art of Festival Photography"

Our workshop crew arrived on the scene at 5am Saturday morning. The Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic was already a beehive of activity. There were vendors selling pancakes and hot chocolate, little kids in adorable hoodies, and couples arm-in-arm sharing a moment as dawn approached.

But all I could see at that moment were the flames lighting up the colorful balloons. And had I not shaken myself from that hypnotic state, I would have come back with just a couple postcard images. Fortunately, I rallied, and soon began to photograph the environment around me, as well as the main attraction. And here are the five steps that I kept in mind along the way.

Yes, Get the Postcard Shot - You need to have the image that everyone expects. So be sure to capture it, review it so that it is high quality, then check it off your mental list.

Turn Your Attention to the Crew - It takes many hands to pull off any type of event. And those behind the scenes images are excellent for storytelling. Viewers like to know how things happen.

What's Going on in the Audience? - Because they are often so engaged with the main event, audience members often won't even realize that you're taking their picture. And that engagement can be very interesting.

Get Tight on the Gear - Whether it's a Fender guitar, propane burner, or a shining row of wine glasses, the stuff of an event deserves its own images.

Move Your Feet, Bend Your Back, Stretch Your Arms - Don't fall in love with just one position or angle. Stay on the move, go high, low, and all around, and see what you can find.

Not only will you come home with the postcard shot to share on Facebook, you will have an entire photo essay that presents unlimited possibilities.

The Portfolio Project - Week 6 - Dan Horton-Szar Photographs

Dan Horton-Szar (pronounced SHAR) is our featured photographer this week with his Portfoliobox site, www.danhortonszar.com.

"Photography has been a much-loved hobby for most of my life, and I started to work on it more seriously in the last few years. A couple of things in particular helped me on the way - starting a 365 project on Blipfoto and joining a camera club. With the experience gained through the discipline of going out and making a daily photograph, and the advice and support I received from camera club members, I've gone on to join the Royal Photographic Society and gained my ARPS distinction in October 2014."

Dan has wonderful images of the Kent countryside and street photography as well. But my favorite page is "Raising Boys," a predominately B&W tribute to the exuberance of childhood. It's really good.

If you've signed up for a Portfoliobox Pro account, and have published at least one page, then send me the link to that site. Use the Contact Form on the Nimble Photographer and provide your name, the link, and the subject of the page or site you've published.

I'm also building a directory of user sites and publish it on TheDigitalStory. And all through the month of June, I will feature one of those sites on this podcast.

I love using Portfoliobox for these reasons:

My images look great, both on my computer and on my mobile devices.

It's easy to use. Without any instruction, I'm adding a high quality page in just minutes.

It's affordable. There's a free plan and a Pro version. The Pro version is only $82.80 per year or $8.90 per month USD, and that's before the 20 percent TDS discount.

Highlights with the Pro Plan

In addition to unlimited pages, you get a personalized domain name, web hosting, and up to 1,000 images.

I'm Taking the Canon PIXMA PRO-100 Rebate Challenge

This appears to be a deal too good to be true, so I'm testing it. I purchased a Canon PIXMA PRO-100 Wireless Professional Inkjet Photo Printer for $309 (including 50 sheets of 13"x19" Luster paper). The real deal is that this offer comes with a $250 rebate. So this professional printer with paper will only total $60. Seems too good to be true? I sent off the rebate form today. Will let you know what happens.

Rebate offer ends June 30th, 2018. In order to get the full discount for your order, you'll need to send back a $250 mail-in rebate and use the following code at checkout: BHOPTIC18.

Reservation Forms have been sent for the Burney Falls and Lassen Volcanic National Park Workshop

We have our cabin reservations secured for Sept. 27-29, 2018 for the Burney Falls and Lassen Volcanic National Park Workshop. I sent out reservation forms this last weekend. So if you are on the reserve list, you should have received an invite.

Updates and Such

You can become a member of our Inner Circle by clicking on this link or by clicking on the Patreon tile that's on every page of The Digital Story.

B&H and Amazon tiles on www.thedigitalstory. If you click on them first, you're helping to support this podcast. And speaking of supporting this show, and big thanks to our Patreon Inner Circle members:

And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

Podcast Sponsors

Portfoliobox - Create the site that your best images deserve by visiting Portfoliobox. And get a 20 percent discount by using our landing page!

The Nimbleosity Report

Do you want to keep up with the best content from The Digital Story and The Nimble Photographer? Sign up for The Nimbleosity Report, and receive highlights twice-a-month in a single page newsletter. Be a part of our community!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

Using the RAW Power editing extension ($13.99) with Photos for macOS can squeeze every bit of image data from your files, even a ho-hum flower shot. Here are the 3 steps I use.

Original flower shot I quickly grabbed one morning on my way to work. Here's how it looked before processing in RAW Power.

Decoded image in RAW Power. I used its sliders to breath life into my RAW file.

Final touches added in Photos. Once I save changes in the RAW Power editing extension, the image is automatically returned to Photos for macOS for finishing.

Because of the wonderful ecosystem that Photos offers, more users are processing their RAW files in Photos for macOS. As you can see, RAW Power is one of those affordable, powerful tools.

New Photos for macOS High Sierra Training!

Is it time for you to learn the ins and outs of the latest version of Photos? Take a look at Photos for macOS High Sierra Essential Training on LinkedIn Learning, or on lynda.com. Maximize your iPhone photography and complement the work you do with your mirrorless cameras as well. You'll love your cameras even more...

Opening Monologue

I was anticipating a number of topics covered at the Photoshop World Keynote address. But the importance of printing was not one of them. Yet, after the T-Shirt tosses and Beatles parodies, Scott Kelby maneuvered from the importance of backing up to the even greater value of printing. The five points that he used to build his argument is the top story of today's TDS podcast.

"Scott Kelby's Surprising Printing Talk at Photoshop World"

It was interesting how Scott led into his printing talk - by outlining the shortcomings of most backup systems. Prints are the exception. They are device independent. He then told a story to illustrate may of the reasons why he thinks prints are important.

Here are the five points that Scott covered in his talk:

Connection to the Viewer - Holding a print elevates the experience to a whole new level.

Stand Out from the Competition - The gift of a print blows away an email attachment.

Impact - A 13"x19" print has more impact than tiny images we view on our digital devices.

A Print Has Value - If you were willing to pay $200 for a print to hang on your wall, how much would you spend for a digital version of it on a flash drive?

Protect Your Visual History - Will our generation be able to leave behind a visual history as rich as what our parents left for us?

You can imagine how thrilled I was by this talk...

The Portfolio Project - Week 5 - James Batt Wildlife Photographs

James Batt is our featured photographer this week with his Portfoliobox site, www.jamesbatt.com.

His incredible collection of bird images are categorized in a beautiful, wildly educational way. I'm keeping his page bookmarked not only for its beauty, but for reference as I enjoy my own birdwatching activity. You have to check this out.

If you've signed up for a Portfoliobox Pro account, and have published at least one page, then send me the link to that site. Use the Contact Form on the Nimble Photographer and provide your name, the link, and the subject of the page or site you've published.

I'm also building a directory of user sites and publish it on TheDigitalStory. And all through the month of June, I will feature one of those sites on this podcast.

I love using Portfoliobox for these reasons:

My images look great, both on my computer and on my mobile devices.

It's easy to use. Without any instruction, I'm adding a high quality page in just minutes.

It's affordable. There's a free plan and a Pro version. The Pro version is only $82.80 per year or $8.90 per month USD, and that's before the 20 percent TDS discount.

Highlights with the Pro Plan

In addition to unlimited pages, you get a personalized domain name, web hosting, and up to 1,000 images.

Interview with Rick Sammon

After reading Rick's new book, The Route 66 Photo Road Trip, I sat down with him in Orlando for this interview. My opening question, "Rick, why do we need another book about Route 66?" Here's what he had to say.

Signed Print Winner!

Congratulations to Craig Tooley who wrote, "I very much enjoyed your title on Luminar 'Mastering the Basics,' as with all of your titles, very well done."

Craig will receive the signed print from the Maui Project. Woohoo!

Reservation Forms have been sent for the Burney Falls and Lassen Volcanic National Park Workshop

We have our cabin reservations secured for Sept. 27-29, 2018 for the Burney Falls and Lassen Volcanic National Park Workshop. I sent out reservation forms this last weekend. So if you are on the reserve list, you should have received an invite.

Updates and Such

You can become a member of our Inner Circle by clicking on this link or by clicking on the Patreon tile that's on every page of The Digital Story.

B&H and Amazon tiles on www.thedigitalstory. If you click on them first, you're helping to support this podcast. And speaking of supporting this show, and big thanks to our Patreon Inner Circle members:

And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

Podcast Sponsors

Portfoliobox - Create the site that your best images deserve by visiting Portfoliobox. And get a 20 percent discount by using our landing page!

The Nimbleosity Report

Do you want to keep up with the best content from The Digital Story and The Nimble Photographer? Sign up for The Nimbleosity Report, and receive highlights twice-a-month in a single page newsletter. Be a part of our community!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

For this image, captured with my iPhone X and automatically imported into my Photos for macOS app, I used the Luminar Editing Extension that's bundled free with the app. It's easy to use. Just click on the 3 dots at the top of the editing tools and choose Luminar 2018.

Sending the original image to Luminar 2018 from Photos for macOS.

I then choose the Aerial Photography Workspace in Luminar. It's a great starting point for the edits. I decided to add a couple additional Filters (Vignette and Image Radiance), then clicked the Save Changes Button to return to Photos. As you can see by the Before/After illustration below, there is a dramatic improvement to the image.

The Before and After in the Luminar Editing Extension.

The workflow could not be simpler. The iPhone image was automatically uploaded to my Mac via iCloud. It was waiting for me in Photos. The Luminar Editing Extension is ready to use. I spend a minute or two improving the shot. Then the saved changes are automatically shared to all of my devices, including back to my iPhone.

Airplane Window Photography has never been easier, or more beautiful.

New Photos for macOS High Sierra Training!

Is it time for you to learn the ins and outs of the latest version of Photos? Take a look at Photos for macOS High Sierra Essential Training on LinkedIn Learning, or on lynda.com. Maximize your iPhone photography and complement the work you do with your mirrorless cameras as well. You'll love your cameras even more...

I read the announcement about Camera Plus 2 on DP Review and decided to give it a spin. I had been a big fan of the original, and thought the new version might be good for RAW capture with my iPhone.

After an evening of testing, I do like the updated interface. I had no problem controlling my captures and getting the results that I wanted. As for RAW photography, as long as I shot RAW+Jpeg, the images showed up perfectly in Photos on my Mac. They appeared as RAW+Jpeg pairs with the Jpegs on top - the same way images come in from my Olympus and other interchangeable lens cameras.

If I shot the RAWs and Jpegs as separate files, however, there appears to be a bug where the RAW comes in as a thumbnail only. My guess is that this will be fixed soon. But in the meantime, I would stick with RAW+Jpeg as a combined file for Mac photographers.

All the other features worked great (including the wonderful editing interface). And for a one-time fee of $2.99, this app is a gem. I'm going to continue to test it during my assignment in Orlando. If I discover anything new, I will update here and on social.

New Photos for macOS High Sierra Training!

Is it time for you to learn the ins and outs of the latest version of Photos? Take a look at Photos for macOS High Sierra Essential Training on LinkedIn Learning, or on lynda.com. Maximize your iPhone photography and complement the work you do with your mirrorless cameras as well. You'll love your cameras even more...

I have lots to do during this trip to Orlando, so I want to travel light. My Super Nimble kit is only 9" wide by 4.5" deep, yet it packs two cameras, 4 lenses, wireless flash, and all the necessary accessories. Incredible!

I start with a Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 20 camera bag ($54.75) that's beautifully designed and crafted. When I'm out on foot, it slings lightly over my shoulders. When I'm flying, it stashes neatly inside my gear backpack.

You may be wondering why I chose the OM-D E-M10 Mark II over my other Micro Four Thirds cameras. Beyond just the fact that I love shooting with it, it has a popup flash. I can use the popup as a wireless controller for the FL-300R for super versatile (and highly compact) off-camera flash. This is really handy when covering events on the go.

The Contax T2 is a premium 35mm camera with AF and manual focus, programmed exposure, aperture priority exposure with click-stop settings, and exposure compensation up to +2/-2 stops.

I have the iPhone X in my pocket, so I can transfer images from the OM-D to the smartphone for immediate publishing. And when the weather gets bad, there's a protective rain cover for the Think Tank that I can quickly put on.

This is a kit that I can carry all day and well into the night. And to be honest, I can tackle just about any photo opportunity with it. Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to see how it goes.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #637, May 29, 2018. Today's theme is "The Future of Lightroom" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

After the fall of Aperture, Lightroom stood tall as the best all around digital asset manager for serious enthusiasts and many pros as well. But a number things have changed since then - some initiated by Adobe, and others by external forces. And suddenly, Lightroom's future is a bit more cloudy than it was a couple years ago. And that's the top story in today's TDS Podcast.

"The Future of Lightroom"

It's probably a good idea or a really bad one to discuss the future of Lightroom as I board a plane for Orlando to attend Photoshop World. But here we are.

Here are the five factors that I think will influence Lightroom's future:

The End of the Perpetual License - In October 2017 Adobe announced the end of its perpetual license for new versions of Lightroom. If photographers want to stay current, they will need Creative Cloud subscriptions.

Locked In Workflow - A few years back, Adobe redesigned Lightroom's import dialog. What followed was a good example of how software design becomes locked-in and unable to change to meet an evolving ecosystem.

New Competitors - Later this year, Skylum will release their digital asset manager for Luminar. This highly anticipated update, if good, will continue to erode Lightroom's existing user base.

Smartphone Popularity - Even though Adobe has done a good job with its mobility apps, the trend among consumer photographers is to let their smartphones handle all of their photography needs. For this group, a Creative Cloud subscription might not be that appealing.

Software Fatigue - Sometimes you just need a change.

What Adobe has going for it... First, it's not easy to switch from one digital asset manager to another. Many photographers will remain with Lightroom as the path of least resistance. Plus, Adobe has done a good job with its mobility apps. So those in the Adobe ecosystem can integrate their smartphone photography with their more serious work. And finally, Lightroom is a good app. It's had its ups and downs, but at the end of the day it is a solid processor, editor, and manager.

The Portfolio Project - Week 4 - Your Portfoliobox Sites

I've received enthusiastic mail about how setting up a Portfoliobox site has rekindled the creative juices. So I thought what we could do is share this work with each other.

If you've signed up for a Portfoliobox Pro account, and have published at least one page, then send me the link to that site. Use the Contact Form on the Nimble Photographer and provide your name, the link, and the subject of the page or site you've published.

I will build a directory of user sites and publish it on TheDigitalStory. And all through the month of June, I will feature one of those sites on this podcast.

I love using Portfoliobox for these reasons:

My images look great, both on my computer and on my mobile devices.

It's easy to use. Without any instruction, I'm adding a high quality page in just minutes.

It's affordable. There's a free plan and a Pro version. The Pro version is only $82.80 per year or $8.90 per month USD, and that's before the 20 percent TDS discount.

Highlights with the Pro Plan

In addition to unlimited pages, you get a personalized domain name, web hosting, and up to 1,000 images.

Signed Print Giveaway - If you watch one chapter for any of my training videos on lynda.com or LinkedIn Training during the month of May, send me a notification after the viewing via the Contact Form on The Nimble Photographer. (You can sign up for a free trial on lynda.com.) Just say, "I watched a chapter on lynda.com or LinkedIn Learning!"

You name will be entered into a drawing for a signed print from the Maui Project. The lucky recipient will be announced on the June 5, 2018 podcast. (Promotion ends on May 31, 2018. Void where prohibited.)

Reservation Forms have been sent for the Burney Falls and Lassen Volcanic National Park Workshop

We have our cabin reservations secured for Sept. 27-29, 2018 for the Burney Falls and Lassen Volcanic National Park Workshop. I sent out reservation forms this last weekend. So if you are on the reserve list, you should have received an invite.

Updates and Such

You can become a member of our Inner Circle by clicking on this link or by clicking on the Patreon tile that's on every page of The Digital Story.

B&H and Amazon tiles on www.thedigitalstory. If you click on them first, you're helping to support this podcast. And speaking of supporting this show, and big thanks to our Patreon Inner Circle members:

And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

Podcast Sponsors

Portfoliobox - Create the site that your best images deserve by visiting Portfoliobox. And get a 20 percent discount by using our landing page!

The Nimbleosity Report

Do you want to keep up with the best content from The Digital Story and The Nimble Photographer? Sign up for The Nimbleosity Report, and receive highlights twice-a-month in a single page newsletter. Be a part of our community!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

I've really enjoyed working with bi-color LED lights for my portrait work. But the Luxli Cello 10" RGBAW LED Light expands this color versatility to a dizzying new height.

The Luxli LED panel inside a softbox with its Bluetooth controller app running on my iPhone.

Each of the 176 individual LEDs inside the panel can reproduce red, green, blue, or white. These color options can be mixed using three modes - white (or color temperature) mode, RGB mode, or filter mode. So all of my options are open. I can tune the panel for precise color temperature control during a portrait shoot. Or I can create an effect using its virtual color gels.

There are two ways to enable these controls. The built-in LCD display on the back of the panel is intuitive and easy to read. I can adjust brightness, then switch between the RGB, gel filter, and CCT modes with the touch of a button. Or, I can use the free Conductor app (iOS and Android) to make these same changes.

I use both control options. Typically, I first set up the lighting with the back LED panel. But I've also been using the Luxli in my portrait softbox. And for those shoots, it's super convenient using my iPhone to change the light settings. I can stay where I am in shooting position, adjust the light, then fire off another series. I never have to disrupt the flow of the shoot by walking over to the softbox, opening it up, and fiddling with the controls. The iPhone is always in my pocket, and it is my lighting remote control.

Even though the Luxli Cello is compact enough for on-camera work, it's powerful enough for lightbox lighting in the studio.